Yesterday I had a crazy craving for pineapple. I bought whichever ones I could find…the sweet small Victoria pineapple from South Africa, the big fat watery one, produced in Costa Rica, coming from Miami???… and lastly the heavy, juicy one from the Ivory coast. Of course I had to paint them. My light pencil drawing was fine and I started putting in washes. Arriving at the spiky leaves, all went horribly wrong. And from there it on it was downhill all the way. Finally I threw the paintbrush out the door, flew out of my atelier, jammed a cup of coffee together, grabbed a canvas and plastered it with modeling paste and a painting knife. Halfway through the oil painting, and eventually simmered down, I turned to my watercolour and thought I might as well finish it by simply pulling out all the stops, I have nothing to lose. So here is the final messy watercolour….. the oil painting is still drying.
Watercolour on Fabriano artistico HP extra white block, 30,5×45,5cm (12″x18″)
Afterwards I even had some time to put a recipe together…and eat it all. Interested in Pineapple carpaccio with saffron syrup and roasted pinenuts?
Africantapestry 
I wish I could “mess” like that. A beautiful picture, Ronell. I look at blog updates, first thing in the morning, and they are such a great way to start the day. This has my mouth watering. And such is the weird way our systems work, I think I am smelling pineapple. I better go have breakfast.
Sorry to hear you had such a hard time painting, but honestly, I just think that this is an absolute gorgeous watercolor painting. Everything works in this picture. Wow.
Your anger must have odne something because I love this spahly fresh look!!!
What’s not to love? This is lovely and I think pinapple is great. I’m off to check out your reciepe.
There was one in the front garden, but after a Royale palm butt crashed onto it it looked a bit squished with mashed leaves; who knew some clever lady would paint it?
SUPERB PINEAPPLES!!! FRESH COLOR, FRESH SPLASHINESS, FRESH RICH TONE S– GLORIOUS — GORGEOUS !!!!!!!
Ronell, some day I would love to come and eat at your house! All of your food looks beautiful and sounds delicious. My sister-in-law loves to cook so I sent her a link to your French Kitchen blog hoping she would start making your recipes and using me as the taste tester. 😀
As for your painting, it is fresh and full of energy. You have captured the rough spiky texture of the outside of the pineapple and its leaves and the beautiful golden glow of the fruit. Put it away and look at it with fresh eyes in a few weeks. I think you will be surprised by how good it is.
Sublime! If only my watercolours would go so wrong 😉 Now I’m anticipating the oil.
Ronell, you may have had a bad start but it turned out great. I love the combination of the angular composition with the loose drips and splashes.
You did pull out all the stops! This is stunning!!
Lisa
Well look at you mad-woman with brush! I love your story and hope we get to see the oil painting too! Makes me want to eat some pinapple too!
Your watercolour is terrific – a pineapple bomb! Your frustration brought out such energy – wish I could get so free.
The recipe sounds fresh and delicious too (would never have thought of lemon with it) – looking forward to pineapple season…
It’s terrific!
and persevering and battling through is what makes the difference between a slick shallow piece of work and one with something special :>) You’ve caught the spikiness and colour and feel of the pineapples there – and I love the ‘frame’ you made too.
I would have loved the stages of this to show my students! I have to persuade them that not everything works easily and that the perseverance and being prepared to alter stuff and ‘go for it’ is what they need to do, not simply bin every failed start :>) it can be pulled around to a great finish like this
You are so funny! I would have been thrilled to put together that pineapple painting. I don’t see anything wrong, but I realize you continued to work, probably past the point where I usually give up. It is lovely!
These are excellent! I love these pineapples.
It’s absolutely gorgeous, Ronell! I can’t imagine what part of this you didn’t like!
This is fabulous! It’s so fresh and alive. Pineapple and dark chocolate are one of my favorite taste combinations.
Ronell! Don’t you dare complain about results like this! Fantastic!
They are really so attractive that I can smell it; unfortunatelly I can’t eat them! 🙂
a beautifully passionate painting – glad you came back to it.
Ronell, this painting is absolutely fabulous!!
You have such a way with words. I could read anything you wrote and be happy. Your pineapple is awesome.
Ronell, this is absolutely georgous! amazing texture.
Ronell, i am glad things went “horribly wrong” on this one. You’ve created a strong piece — a beautiful combination of colors and textures thanks to it.
Yum.
Ronell–this is fabulous!!! I would have loved to see all the paint and brushes flying around when you did this! (Sounds like fun actually) I’ll be watching for the oil painting….
Oh my goodness! This makes my mouth water! What a delicious, luscious, juicy painting.
MD
A glorious shower of juicy color…Stunningly yummy! 🙂
Wowee! Seeing this just brightened my day. I’m down with a doozy of a cold and your pineapple made me wish for some cold pineapple juice. The recipe sounds amazing too but I probably wouldn’t be able to taste it with this cold.
A wonderful pineapple and I must try out the recipe. I see the greengrocers here in South Africa have piles of pineapples at present – together with paw paws, nectarines, guavas, the eternal bananas, strawberries and the first early grapes of the season.
I see your surname is van Wyk. Are you of South African background? My best friend is a van Wyk!
Well shoot! You sure know how to rescue a painting. LOVE that cut open one.
This is just stunning. Love the splashiness!